"It's not just
the crust and the filling. It's so much more than that," she says. "I don't
think there's anything food-wise that shows more love than a pie."

What's the first step toward making
better pies? "(You) need to practice, practice, practice," Hundt says.
"Some people only make one at Thanksgiving, but you really need to get out the
rolling pin and hone the craft."

Brighten your fillings: Hundt
says citrus juice can brighten up any fruit flavor. She says bakers need to
experiment to find the flavor combinations they like best. She's a fan of
oranges, especially when paired with blackberries or rhubarb.

An easy pie to get you started?
Chess pie.

You don't need fancy gadgets for a
good pie: Hundt says pie crust shields do have merit, but she's found
them hard to get on. Aluminum foil will offer a quick substitute to prevent
your crust from browning too quickly. "Pie weights are great," she says, but if
you don't have them, line the crust with aluminum foil and add a few cups of
dried pasta. The pasta will still weigh down the crust, just like pie weights
or dried beans will, without that bean smell, she says.

"I worry it will be a lost art and my great-grandchildren
won't know how to do it," she says of making homemade pie crusts.

Pay attention to the recipe: "The
whole pie you've worked so hard for can be a disaster on so many levels," she
says, citing runny fillings, too-hard fruit or an unfinished crust.

A classic mistake is that many people don't bake their pies
long enough, Hundt says. When the crust starts to darken, they pull the whole
thing, even if the harder fruits inside don't look quite done.

"If it gets brown, turn the oven down and foil the whole
thing," she says. "Put a knife in the middle (to test) and make sure it slides
without hesitation."